Self-lubricating pump



April 28, 1953 H. J. RAND SELF-LUBRICATING PUMP Filed Jan. 31, 1948 FIG"! ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 28, 1953 SELF-LUBRICATIN G PUMP Henry J. Rand, Braten Rand Washing Mach ahl, Ohio, assignor to H. J. ine Corp., Bratenahl, Ohio,

a corporation of Delaware Application January a1, 1948, Serial No. 5,624

Claims. (01. 1os 117) The present invention is related to improvements in means forsupplying lubrication automatically to a rotary pump of the type having rotating flexible vanes.

. An object of the present invention is to supply a reservoir of liquid on the outlet side of a pump of the type leading a limited amount-of the collected liquid back to the rotating impeller of the pump so as to lubricate the same. Another object of the present invention isto provide means for insuring that the liquid fed back to the pump for lubricating purposes will not contain lint or the like.

. Still another object of the present invention is to provide means for feeding a lubricatingiiquid froma reservoir to the rotary vane pump at a point near the inlet where the suction is suflicient to provide a flow of liquid into the pump but where the suction is insuificient to suck the reservoir dry.

described together with a conduit for 3 liquid remaining in the reservoir portion I30. A

conduit l5 connects the reservoir l3 with the inlet side of the pump Ill so that liquid is always available flowing back to the pump to lubricate the same. When the pump has remained idle for a considerable period of time, it is neverthe Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanyin drawings and description and the essential features will be set forth in the appended claims. In the drawings, I Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly broken away and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in perspective showing another modification of my invention; while Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing still another modification of my invention.

My invention is applicable to almost any pump having rotating vanes of rubber-like material but I have chosen to illustrate apparatus which is particularly adapted for use with a washing machinejof the general type' shown in my'copending application Serial No 682,322, filed July 9, 1946, now Patent No. 2,472,682. In such a combination the pump I0 is connected by the line H with the interior of a flexible bag" within .which the laundry is washed. At the close of awashing operation, the pump I0 is started u and pumps the dirty wash water through the inlet ll, past the outlet [2 through a reservoir 1 3 to a final discharge conduit l4. Experience has shown that where the vanes of the pump'are of rubber-like material, it is disadvantageous to have the pump run dry. Among the disadvantages arenthe excessive friction and wear on the impeller, the high starting and running-torque and the excessive noise caused by the pump running dry.

To overcome the above-mentioned disadvantage s, I have provided thereservoir I3 onthe' outlet side of the pump l0 having a portion of the reservoir at I3a below the outlet l2 so that'even when the pump has been shut down there will be inlet ll andcauses less lubricated immediately upon starting up. Where the pump is drawing liquid and air from a flexible bag as mentioned in my copending application, it will not pump a good vacuum if it runs dry and furthermore, the friction and wear are excessive if the pump does run dry. During such a period of pumping a partial vacuum, the line [5 supplies lubrication to the vanes of the ump. c

In the modification of Fig. 2 I have shown a similar installation including the pump ID with its inlet l l and its outlet 1 2. In this case the res.- ervoir I6 is of elongated type and the discharge into the reservoir is, at one end of the elongated chamber while the final outlet conduit from the reservoir I1 is located at the far end thereof. This type volume of liquid for pump lubricating purposes. Preferably also, I provide in the reservoir I6 means for insuring that lintand other loose materials will not be carried back through the conduit ill for the lubrication of the pump. In the present instance, this means comprises a foraminous plate l9 which .forms a partition between the upper and lower parts of the reservoir Hi.

In the device of Fig. 2 I have shown diagrammatically the best location for the connection 20.

major portion of their travel but a cam 23 is, outlet which causes the vanes to bend toward the pump out-,.

provided between the inlet and let as the vanes rotate in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 2. ,This action a partial vacuum in the chamber 24 adjacent the a pressure in the chamber 25 adjace'ntthe outlet l2. This provides the pumpingaction. The where the conduit of the pump is in tating vanes and inlet II to have a slight vacuum but not such a great vacuum as to suck the reservoir l6 dry. I find that a suitable position -for the opening 20 is in general between the line grees belowthe line A and the line; 45 degrees below the line A. :It will be noted thatthese lines run from the intersection of the line A with a vertical plane D extending (119.-

IS connects with the housing the zone traversed by the roof reservoir also supplies a greater outlet l2 are centered upon a common.

of the vanes causes location ofthe inlet 20.

positioned near enough the B which is 30- de-; C which is;

3 metrically through the impellers In the modification axis of the. pump of Fig. 3 I have shown an improvement over the device of Fig. 1 which is adapted to remove lint from the liquid passing backward through the line to lubricate the pump. All of the parts in Fig.- 3.are like those .of Fig. 1 except that which is about to l e-described, Here a foraminous partition 26 divides the reservoir 13 into upper and lower chambers 21 and 28 respectively. It will be noted that-this partition slopes upwardly and. outwardly from a point just below the pump discharge or outlet l2. It results from this arrangement that lint and other extraneous material is filtered out of the discharge from the pump before it can pass to the lower portion of the reservoir 23 where it is available to flow through the line 55 for pump lubricating'purposes. By sloping the partition 26 in the manner indicated, the discharge fluid coming out of the pump discharge t2 sweeps upwardly" and outwardly along the plate 236 so that it is self mica-hing and all partlcles caught'on the plate are eventuany washed outthedischarge pipe M.

, fwhatl claim is: Y

1. In combination with a liquid and pump having a generally cylindrical housing with an inlet and an outlet and a cam between said inlet and. outlet, a rotor mounted for rotation about an 1 axis coaxial with said cylindrical housing, said inlet and said outlet being centered on a' common line at right angles to said axis and adjacent one side oisaid housing, said rotor having radially extending flexible and'resilient vanes extending into engagement with said housing and bent against said cam and toward said outlet by rotor rotation, a. liquid reservoir communicating with and below said outlet, and a conduit communicating betweensaid reservoir and that portion or the interior of said housing opposite said cam. separated from said inlet by at least one vane and nearer to said inlet than said. outlet whereby,v when said rotor is-pumping air, liquid caught in said reservoir is suckedback through said conduit slowly to lubricate said rotor.

2,..In a. pump having agenerally cylindrical housingwith a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis coaxial with said housing; and wherein said housing is provided with an inlet and an outlet centered on a common line at right angles to said, axis near one side of said housing, acam extending into said housing between said inlet and'outlet, said rotor having; radially extending flexible and resilient vanes extending into engagement with said housing and bent against said cam and toward said outlet by rotor rotation; a" liquid reservoir communicating with said outlet, and a conduit communicating between said reservoir and that portion of the interior of said hous ihg. opposite said cam traversed by said vanes and lying approximately thirty to forthy-five deareas below said common line as measured from the intersection of said common line with a plane extending vertically through said axis, said conduit being positioned nearer to said inlet than said outlet.

3.111 a pump having a generally cylindrical housing with a rotor mounted forrotation about an axis coaxial with said housing and wherein said housing is provided with aninl'et and an outlet centered on a common line at right'angles to said axis near one side of said housing, 'a' cam extending into said housing between. said inlet andoutlet, saidrotor having radially extending flexible; and resilient vanes adapted to bend against said cam and toward said outlet when contacting said cam, said vanes being substantially at right angles to said axis during the major 'portion'of travel about said axis, a liquid reservoir extending below said common line, a conduit connectedat one end to the bottom of said reservoir andat the other end to the interior of said housing at a point between said inlet and said outlet oppositesaid cam and nearer to said inlet than said outlet where said vanes are substantially at right angles to the axis of said rotor, whereby lubricating fluid is delivered in small proportions to sai'd'rotor.

4.'In a pump, a rotor having flexible vanes; a housing'with an inlet and an outlet centered on a common line at right angles to the axis of said rotor and adjacent one side-of said housing, a cam between said inlet and said outlet, a liquid reservoir having a communicating connection with said outlet, 9, foraminate partition in said reser- 'voir below said connection and extendingupwardly away from said connection, there being a liquid outlet from said reservoir above said partition, and a conduit interconnectingsaid reservoir at a point below said partition and the interior-oi said housing at a point between said inlet and said outlet but nearer to and below said inlet andseparated therefrom by at least one of said vanes.

5. In a pump, a rotor having flexible vanes, a housingwith an inlet and an outlet centered one common line at right angles to the axis of said rotor and adjacent one side of said housing, a cam between said inlet and said outlet, a liquid reservoir having a communicating connection with said outlet, said reservoir being elongated inadirection extending'away from said connection, a for-aminate partition in said reservoir below said'connection' and extending upwardly away from said connection, there being a liquid outlet from saidreservoir above said partition, and a conduit interconnecting said reservoir at a point below said partitionand the interior of said housing at a point below said inlet and separated therefrom by at least one of said vanes.

HENRY J. RAND.-

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